UPDATES: Cody Franson has agreed to a 1-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs ending his preseason holdout. Let's hope that he didn't lose out on all that he gained last year in terms of a contributing spot on the backend as Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly continue to impress....Reports are that the NY Rangers and Derek Stepan are agreeing to terms on a two-year contract....Also I've heard that Tim Thomas has won the starting job down in Florida. The Panthers need a veteran in net if they want to make any noise in the tough Atlantic Division....Updated Fantasy Guide coming later tonight! PRESEASON FANTASY BITS: The future of the Buffalo Sabres was on display last night as Jhonas Enroth blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets. At some point it will no longer be Miller time as this will be Enroth's team someday....Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons both scored giving the team a double-edged duo for the future....There won't be an early season feeling out period this year in Washington as the Caps seem to be hitting on all cylinders in Head Coach Adam Oates' system now as Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Eric Fehr, and Mikhail Grabovski all had multiple point games last night.... Speaking of Grabovski, he could have a season similar to what Mike Ribeiro had last year in his cameo performance for the Capitals....Jussi Jokinen continues his torrid preseason with yet another power play goal last night. He is Fantasy Gold in the later rounds as he is lining up with Evgeni Malkin. Can anyone say Jarome who?....Someone who may have a resurrection this season is none other than Dany Heatley of the Minnesota Wild....A lot of people may overlook Phoenix G Mike Smith but don't you. And don't you forget that Dave Tippett coached teams always benefit the goaltender.  Just look at Ilya Bryzgalov and what has become of him since he bolted the desert. The 2013-2014 PrimePucks Fantasy Hockey Draft Guide has been updated as of September 26th, 9:45 pm.  The Guide is revised with all the latest developments so that you can be prepared for your fantasy hockey draft.  As we near the start of the season, the Guide is updated more frequently so that you can be assured you have the most current and relevant information at your hands.  Just access the updated Guide through the FILES link in "My Account". Get it now and WOW your fantasy opponents! Check out the new ROMIE HITS THE POST which focuses on the New Jersey Devils goaltending situation. Check it out here! PrimePucks™ ...

UPDATES: Cody Franson has agreed to a 1-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs ending his preseason holdout. Let's hope that he didn't lose out on all that he gained last year in terms of a contributing spot on the backend as Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly continue to impress....Reports are that the NY Rangers and Derek Stepan are agreeing to terms on a two-year contract....Also I've heard that Tim Thomas has won the starting job down in Florida. The Panthers need a veteran in net if they want to make any noise in the tough Atlantic Division....Updated Fantasy Guide coming later tonight! PRESEASON FANTASY BITS: The future of the Buffalo Sabres was on display last night as Jhonas Enroth blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets. At some point it will no longer be Miller time as this will be Enroth's team someday....Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons both scored giving the team a double-edged duo for the future....There won't be an early season feeling out period this year in Washington as the Caps seem to be hitting on all cylinders now as Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Eric Fehr, and Mikhail Grabovski all had multiple point games.... Speaking of Grabovski, he could have a season similar to what Mike Ribeiro had last year in his cameo performance for the Capitals....Jussi Jokinen continues his torrid preseason with yet another power play goal last night. He is Fantasy Gold in the later rounds as he is lining up with Evgeni Malkin. Can anyone say Jarome who?....Someone who may have a resurrection this season is none other than Dany Heatley of the Minnesota Wild....A lot of people may overlook Phoenix G Mike Smith but don't you. And don't you forget that Dave Tippett coached teams always benefit the goaltender.  Just look at Ilya Bryzgalov and what has become of him since he bolted the desert. The 2013-2014 PrimePucks Fantasy Hockey Draft Guide has been updated as of September 25th.  The Guide is revised with all the latest developments so that you can be prepared for your fantasy hockey draft.  As we near the start of the season, the Guide is updated more frequently so that you can be assured you have the most current and relevant information at your hands.  Just access the updated Guide through the FILES link in "My Account". Get it now and WOW your fantasy opponents! Check out the new ROMIE HITS THE POST which focuses on the New Jersey Devils goaltending situation. Check it out here! PrimePucks™ continues to bring you the NHL IN 30 every day in the ...

Thomas is in Panthers camp on a professional tryout. Starting tomorrow's game would suggest that Thomas is close to signing a deal with the Panthers.

After taking last year off for whatever reason, goaltender Tim Thomas says that he is re-energized and now wants to play in the NHL again. Thomas reneged on his last contract year with Boston, and his rights were obtained by the New York Islanders.  They were unable to sign him and he became a free agent again. He is currently with Florida in a tryout mode to be one of their goaltenders, preferrably the starter.  At 39 years old, and with him not playing a game since Game 7 of the playoffs against the Capitals in the Spring of 2012, Thomas should be expected to be rusty.  That being said, he appears to be serious about returning to the NHL.  His career numbers are very impressive with a 2.48 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and 31 shutouts.  He was lights out for Boston in winning the Conn Smythe trophy as MVP and capturing the Stanley Cup in 2010-2011 while taking home the Vezina Trophy as well, beating Dominick Hasek's record for save percentage with a .938 SP.  Jacob Markstrom is expected to be the Panthers starting goalie this year, but in 23 games last year he had a 3.22 goals against and a .901 save percentage. Thomas could beat those numbers in his sleep.  It looks very tentative right now, but don't be suprised if Thomas becomes the starter.  The Panthers are not expected to be that good this year, but if Thomas can win the starting job he could be a decent second goalie option on your fantasy squad.  He may be worth a shot late in your draft.    Stick Saves: The New Jersey Devils recently announced that Martin Brodeur will be the starter for game one of this season. The Devils are in a bit of a predictament as Brodeur is a legendary goalie and holds just about every record in the books.  But lets look at reality;  General Manager Lou Lamorellio brought in Cory Schneider to be his goaltender for the next decade. Last year Schneider's save percentage was .927 while Brodeur's was .901.  At some point in time Lamorellio will have to make a decision and go with Schneider.  Hard to predict when that will happen, but it should be this year unless the Devils are totally out of it. As my father used to say; life is tough.  Schneider should end up a starter this year.

After taking last year off for whatever reason, goaltender Tim Thomas says that he is re-energized and that he now wants to play in the NHL again. Thomas reneged on his last contract year with Boston, and his rights were eventually taken by the New York Islanders.  They were unable to sign him, and he became a free agent again. He is currently with Florida in a tryout mode for one of their goaltenders.  At 39 years old, and with him not playing a game since the seventh game against the Capitals in the the playoffs in the spring of 2012, Thomas should be expected to be rusty.  That being said he appears to be serious about returning to th NHL.  His career numbers are very impressive with a 2.48 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and 31 shutouts.  He was lights out for Boston in winning the Stanley Cup in 2010-2011 while winning the Vezina Trophy and beating Dominick Hasek's record for save percentage by going .938.  Jacob Markstrom is expected to be the Panthers starting goalie this year, but in 23 games last year he had a 3.22 goals against and a .901 save percentage. Thomas could beat those numbers in his sleep.  It looks very tentative right now, but don't be suprised if Thomas becomes the starter.  The Panthers are not going to be that good this year, but if Thomas can win the starting job, he could be a decent second goalie.  He may be worth a shot late in your draft.        Stick Saves: The New Jersey Devils recently announced that Martin Brodeur will be the starter for game one of this season. The Devils are in a bit of a predictament as Brodeur is a legendary goalie and holds just about every record in the books.  But lets look at reality;  General Manager Lou Lamorellio brought in Cory Schneider to be his goaltender for the next decade. Last year Schneider's save percentage was .927 while Brodeur's was .901. At some point in time Lamorellio will have to make a decision and go with Schneider.  Hard to predict when that will happen, but it should be this year unless the Devils are totally out of it. As my father used to say; life is tough.  Schneider should end up a starter this year.

ATTENTION EXCEL STAT SHEET SUBSCRIBERS-The Excel Spreadsheet has been updated. Go to "MY ACCOUNT" and click on the FILES tab to access the updated Excel spreadsheet. More Tryouts: G Tim Thomas and RW Damien Brunner have signed tryout agreements with the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils,respectively. Both team can use their talents but I don't see why the players chose these teams unless there was very little interest elsewhere.  Keep an eye on both situations as both could be decent contributors on needy teams. Preseason Fantasy Bits:Milan Michalek collected a goal and an assist in Ottawa's 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. With all the talk centered on the arrival of Bobby Ryan, the 28-year old Michalek has definitely fallen under the fantasy radar, but he should be remembered come draft day. Although he missed 25 games last season, he did put up 35 goals and 60 points in '11-12. Its looking like he will be lining up with Jason Spezza and Ryan, so this Senator trio could be dynamite in fantasy leagues... Another guy who just needs to stay healthy is defenseman James Wisniewski, who had a nice night for the Blue Jackets with a goal and an assist against Pittsburgh. With the added firepower in Columbus, the hard-shooting blueliner could make a serious push for 45-50 points, but he will come in undervalued in most drafts. He could be a huge bargain, so keep your eye on how he performs in camp. Training Camp Update: Anaheim's second line in the early going consists of Nick Bonino centering Teemu Selanne and Jakub Silfverberg. For now Dustin Penner stays on the top line.. Erik Cole has been a scoring dud in his short time in Dallas, but he will reportedly get a shot on the top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Interesting. If that doesn't get him back to 30+ goals, nothing will... Cory Schneider will be getting the first start for the New Jersey Devils in pre-season action. Don't read too much into this, but if you are to be banking heavily on Jersey goaltending this season, you probably need to own both him and the future HOFer Marty Brodeur. PrimePucks continues to bring you the NHL IN 30 every day in the month of September, bringing you in-depth team analysis for the upcoming season. Today we focus on the Minnesota Wild!  Don't forget to check back each and every day for the latest featured team! ***ATTENTION FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS*** If you are the commissioner of an upcoming fantasy hockey league and will be holding a draft ...

ATTENTION EXCEL STAT SHEET SUBSCRIBERS-The Excel Spreadsheet has been updated. Go to "MY ACCOUNT" and click on the FILES tab to access the updated Excel spreadsheet. More Tryouts: G Tim Thomas and RW Damien Brunner have signed tryout agreements with the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils,respectively. Both team can use their talents but I don't see why the players chose these teams unless there was very little interest elsewhere.  Keep an eye on both situations as both could be decent contributors on needy teams. Preseason Fantasy Bits:Milan Michalek collected a goal and an assist in Ottawa's 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. With all the talk centered on the arrival of Bobby Ryan, the 28-year old Michalek has definitely fallen under the fantasy radar, but he should be remembered come draft day. Although he missed 25 games last season, he did put up 35 goals and 60 points in '11-12. Its looking like he will be lining up with Jason Spezza and Ryan, so this Senator trio could be dynamite in fantasy leagues... Another guy who just needs to stay healthy is defenseman James Wisniewski, who had a nice night for the Blue Jackets with a goal and an assist against Pittsburgh. With the added firepower in Columbus, the hard-shooting blueliner could make a serious push for 45-50 points, but he will come in undervalued in most drafts. He could be a huge bargain, so keep your eye on how he performs in camp. Training Camp Update: Anaheim's second line in the early going consists of Nick Bonino centering Teemu Selanne and Jakub Silfverberg. For now Dustin Penner stays on the top line.. Erik Cole has been a scoring dud in his short time in Dallas, but he will reportedly get a shot on the top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Interesting. If that doesn't get him back to 30+ goals, nothing will... Cory Schneider will be getting the first start for the New Jersey Devils in pre-season action. Don't read too much into this, but if you are to be banking heavily on Jersey goaltending this season, you probably need to own both him and the future HOFer Marty Brodeur. PrimePucks continues to bring you the NHL IN 30 every day in the month of September, bringing you in-depth team analysis for the upcoming season. Today we focus on the Minnesota Wild!  Don't forget to check back each and every day for the latest featured team! ***ATTENTION FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS*** If you are the commissioner of an upcoming fantasy hockey league and will be holding a draft ...

Thomas, honored as the league's top goalie in 2009 and '11, will join the Panthers for Tuesday's practice. If Thomas earns a spot on the Panthers, Florida would have to find a place for Jacob Markstrom or Scott Clemmensen. Markstrom could stay up with the Panthers -- and even remain the starter.

Thomas, 39, who led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship in 2009-10, took last season off for personal reasons, and may need extra time to get into game shape, according to the source. He is most likely en route to South Florida today to take a physical and medical testing before agreeing to a professional tryout arrangement. The source said that the Panthers are Thomas', "top option.''

PITKANEN SEASON OVER: Apparently, Joni Pitkanen's heel injury was way worse than expected as he is set to miss the entire 2013/14 season. The talented blueliner hasn't been able to shake the injury tag, as he only played 52 games over the last three seasons. Fantasy owners should set their eyes on youngsters Justin Faulk and quite possibly Ryan Murphy, who will have to step up and play huge minutes on the power-play. As for Pitkanen, he will now miss his contract year and will represent a substantial risk for any teams considering signing him when he returns. He is not worth holding on in keeper league formats. FLORIDA GOALIE RUMORS: According to reports, the Florida Panthers are considering several veteral options in the crease, including Tim Thomas and Ilya Bryzgalov. There has been news from Thomas' camp that he will be signing with a new team very soon. However, even if he joins the Panthers, he is not guaranteed a full starting position, as the future belongs to Jakub Markstrom. A veteran signing would defintely dilute the fantasy value of Florida goaltending this upcoming season. PrimePucks continues to bring you the NHL IN 30 every day in the month of September, bringing you in-depth team analysis for the upcoming season. Today it's the Winnipeg Jets!  Don't forget to check back each and every day for the latest featured team! ***ATTENTION FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS*** If you are the commissioner of an upcoming fantasy hockey league and will be holding a draft soon, PrimePucks has some goodies for you to distribute to your league members.  Look even better to your league members by giving them free stuff. Who doesn't like free stuff?  Contact cj@primepucks.com to find out more.